1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for cooling and lubricating cutting tools, and removal of waste products in milling operations, and more particularly to an apparatus for applying coolant and removing and separating waste coolant and chips.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Operation of vertical milling machines at maximum efficiency requires an ample supply of coolant to the cutting tool to extend its usable life, and some means of removing chips which otherwise get caught up by the tool and scar the machine surfaces and damage the tool cutting edge. In the mid to late 1970's coolant atomizers became popular that used air pressure and a venturi to draw coolant through a nozzle tip to spray on the cutter for tool cooling and blowing chips out of the cutter path. These devices are widely used at this time, but have the disadvantage of most often blowing metal chips into the cutter zone, causing cutter failure, and blowing coolant and metal chips into the air. Coolant in the air is a health hazard, and chips littering the mill and machine shop floor are hazardous and time consuming to clean up.
Various attempts have been made to solve the problem of removing chips/cuttings during specific types of machining operations. U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,116 by Schoda describes a chip removing apparatus. It has a skirt 35 that surrounds the machine tool, and an air nozzle 25 surrounding the tool chuck 5. A vacuum is applied to remove the chips. A disadvantage of this device is that it does not apply liquid coolant, and the skirt 35 shields the cutting-tool from view. Other devices have been designed primarily for drilling operations. U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,982 by Clement provides an apparatus having a suction chamber that is spring loaded against the work piece. Air is supplied to the cutting area and a vacuum is applied to remove chips. Like the Schoda device, the cutting surface is not visible to the operator, and in addition, the device cannot be moved freely due to the spring loaded contact; a requirement for milling operations.
It is therefore clear that a need exists for a device that can efficiently apply coolant to a cutting tool of a vertical milling machine, and collect the applied fluid and chips generated in the milling operation.